News / Team quietly confident as they set off for Jersey
SHETLAND’s Island Games team have begun their 750-mile journey to Jersey.
Around 142 competitors and officials boarded the boat south on Wednesday in the hope of winning medals in a total of 12 sports.
The crew – including the likes of medal hopefuls Emma Leask and Andrea Strachan – will fly on Thursday from Aberdeen to Jersey ahead of the games’ official opening on Saturday.
Two vans packed full of sporting equipment are already on their way to the six-day event as they travel across the UK.
Shetland won a total of 16 medals at the last Island Games in Bermuda two years ago – but that was with a smaller team.
There seems a quiet confidence within the class of 2015, who represent Shetland’s largest ever assembly of competitors in the history of the Island Games – except when the isles hosted the event ten years ago.
Twenty one year old runner Emma Leask has won consecutive golds at the Island Games since 2009 and she believes the 800m race, which has proved fruitful in the past, could present another medal.
“I think the 400m is going to be pretty tough,” she admits. “There’s some quick girls from the Isle of Man. But in the 800m I’ll have a good chance of getting a medal.”
“I think it’s one of the best competitions I’ve ever competed in,” added Leask, who has previously represented Scotland.
“It’s a really good atmosphere. I can see why they call it the friendly games. Everyone chips in and chats to each other. And since I’ve been in it for quite a few years, I’ve made friends with the girls I race against.”
There will be inevitable attention placed on Shetland’s youngest competitor – 14-year-old swimmer Erraid Davies, who became the face of last year’s Commonwealth Games after winning bronze.
Whilst that medal came in a para category, the Skeld lass this time has been entered into regular swimming events.
“I don’t think I’ll medal, but I’m just hoping to do well, enjoy it and have a good time,” she said.
Davies trains with the county team every Sunday in Lerwick, but she takes to the pool in Brae to undertake regular practice.
“I didn’t expect to get a Commonwealth Games medal to be honest,” the modest teen adds. “The reaction was…different yeah, but it was good. It was really strange being on TV.”
The 14-year-old suggested that the 2016 Paralympics in Rio could be in her sights once the qualifying times are released.
Whilst Davies is the youngest member of the Shetland team, the oldest competitor can be found in the shooting team.
Sixty one year old Jim Work, who is also this year’s Shetland flag-bearer, is taking part in his 14th Island Games, with his first taking place in the Faroe Islands in 1989.
The sportsman is adamant that Jersey will be his final games – but he “wasn’t even meaning to go this time” before an event space cropped up.
“I started out way back and I’ve enjoyed it all the way,” Work says of the Island Games allure.
“The opening ceremony is great – the camaraderie, the whole thing of being there with the team. We’ve had quite a lot of shooting medals within our team, and it’s great to be part of the overall team where you’ve got people who really put in a major amount of effort.”
Football, meanwhile, will be back on Shetland’s Island Games agenda after last competing in 2009.
Captain Leighton Flaws admits that “getting a medal is very, very difficult” – but Shetland’s footballers did win gold in front of a home crowd in 2005.
The 34 year old cited a number of different reasons for the isles’ recent lack of participation in the field, such as not having a manager in place.
“I’m sure everyone has put in hours of graft for this,” he added. “And there’s a lot of potential medallists in the Shetland team. Whether we’re one of them, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
Finally, Shetland’s games team will see the surprise return of a familiar face.
Twenty nine year old runner Claire Wilson – who has won bags of medals for the isles in previous years – will don the blue jersey once again after last competing in the Island Games four years ago for her new place of residence Jersey.
She will take part in the 3,000 metres steeplechase event – despite having never raced in it.
Wilson was alerted to the possibility of representing Shetland again after one of the three steeplechase competitors had to cancel – meaning that the race was in threat of being pulled.
“I have never trained for the event or even raced it, but I think I will cope well,” said Wilson, who stepped in at the last minute to save the race from cancellation. “I used to do lots of plyometrics with the Shetland AAC when I was little and I have strong legs.
“My first barrier training went well on Wednesday – I can hurdle of both legs which is a bonus. I’ve got to run my own race and listen to my body so I can manage over all the barriers.”
“I cannot wait to run for Shetland again in the Games,” she added, before paying tribute to those who let her join the team, as well as former running buddy Ian Williamson. “They are always special. The rules have changed since 2011 so I am very grateful to be able to run for Shetland this time – and at such late notice too.”
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